Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between wrist ROM and free throw shooting performance. This study focused on 45 high school male basketball players with varied basketball skills and playing experiences. Each subject was measured for ROM at the wrist of the shooting hand with a goniometer. With the elbow bent the players were measured for wrist flexion and extension. The degree of zero was given to the wrist when the wrist was straight, similar to the arm hanging by the subject's side. Wrist flexion was measured when the player flexed his wrist back. Each subject was asked to pull his wrist as far back as possible, without any assistance. Wrist extension was measured when the player extended his wrist forward. Each subject was asked to push his wrist as far forward without any assistance. The total degrees of wrist flexion and wrist extension were added in order to determine each subject's wrist ROM. Each subject shot 50 free throws. A percentage was derived from the number of shots made in accordance to the fifty shots taken. Wrist flexion, wrist extension, and wrist ROM were measured. Each wrist measurement's relationship with the subject's free throw percentage was analyzed.Wrist flexion, wrist extension, and wrist ROM showed no apparent relationship with the subject's free throw percentage in this group of high school boy players. The correlation coefficient of ROM of the shooting wrist and the percentage of free throw shots made was r = -0.12. The correlation coefficient of wrist flexion and the number of free throws made was r = -0.14. The correlation coefficient of wrist extension and the number of free throws made was r = -0.07. Removing free throw shooters under 60%, arbitrarily determined to be poor free throw shooters, the relationship was then strengthened only slightly between each wrist measurements relationship with the subject's free throw percentage. The correlation coefficient of wrist ROM and number of free throws made at 60% or greater was r = - 0.27. The correlation coefficient of wrist flexion and free throws made at 60% or greater was r = - 0.20. Finally, the correlation coefficient of wrist extension and free throws made at 60% or greater was r = 0.24. The correlation coefficient of all wrist measurements with the subject's free throw percentage was not great enough to support any relationship extensively.